Thursday, August 04, 2005

Yesterday James Dobson compared stem cell research to the Nazi experiments on live patients during the holocaust.

Some day I would like for Dobson and Mohler and the Pope to explain to me why they think the imago Dei must have a genetic structure rather than a spiritual one. Logically, that would mean that sin -- which corrupted the imago -- also had a genetic structure.

If eight cell blastocysts are fully human persons -- created in the image of God, but with a propensity to sin -- then why don't we have genetic engineers searching for the "original sin" gene. If they could find it and remove our rebellious nature, we could all be sinless and perfect.

Then no one would have to be "born again" and Jesus' death would have been unnecessary.

8 comments:

Pharisees always want to stand around and criticize. It is so safe and comfortable to snipe at anyone or anything actually doing good. They even criticized Jesus for healing people on the Sabath. The test Jesus used was doing good. Stem Cell research has the potential of doing so much good anyone calling themselves a follower of Christ should be in favor of it, they have Christ himself as an example.

It didn't look like he compared to two directly. He used Nazi Germany as an example of ends justifying the means.

Those who support the destruction of embryos for research purposes choose to overlook the means to the end result.

Also, I don't think Dobson said that the "cell blastocysts," as you so coldly call them, are fully human. But they are a form of human life. And historically, Christians (Baptists included), have held life in high esteem. A high view of human life (not personhood) is a part of our Christian "heritage."

Can we ever destroy genetically human life growing in the womb with a clear conscience? There may be some ambiquities here, but those who can do so without doubt have a lot more metaphysical certainty than I do.

Embryonic stem cells have not been found to be that much more helpful than any other types of stem cells. Why do we want to walk an ethical tightrope when we can stay safely on the solid ground of medical science. Besides, it seems that there is hope that we can use placenta cells in the same ways as embryonic stem cells. See this article:

U of Pittsburgh researches have discovered that one type of cell in the human placenta has characteristics that are strikingly similar to embryonic stem cells in their ability to regenerate a wide variety of tissues.